Minnesota @ Nebraska preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 5, 2018 ) Nebraska 78, Minnesota 85

Two Big Ten teams hoping to end lengthy losing streaks get together Wednesday night when Nebraska hosts Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have slid into eighth place with consecutive losses to Purdue (73-63), Wisconsin (56-51) and Michigan State (79-55) while the Cornhuskers, who are in 13th place in the 14-team conference, have dropped seven in a row.

Nebraska coach Tim Miles saw some positives from his team during Saturday's 81-62 loss at 11th-ranked Purdue. The Huskers trailed, 39-35, with less than 16 minutes to go before the Boilermakers went on a 14-2 run in what was otherwise a pretty even game. "I think I waited at least two possessions too long to burn a timeout," Miles told Omaha.com. "I should've known better. ... No doubt this was a positive step if you just measure those things that you can control with the attitude and effort and all those things. I thought we did some good things tonight. Looking forward to making Pinnacle Bank Arena a more enjoyable place to be." Minnesota, which won the first meeting, 85-78, on Dec. 5th at Williams Arena, will be trying to complete a series sweep of Nebraska while also trying to snap a four-game road losing streak.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT MINNESOTA (16-8, 6-7 Big Ten): The Gophers are just 4-6 in their past 10 games and will be looking for their first win at Pinnacle Bank Arena since it opened in 2013. Junior guard Amir Coffey is sixth in the Big Ten, averaging 18.3 points in conference action and had a career-high 32 points in the first meeting with the Huskers. Senior forward Jordan Murphy is averaging 14.5 points per game and is fourth in the nation in rebounding with an average of 11.9 per game while a pair of talented freshmen, 6-10 center Daniel Oturu (10.8 points) and guard Gabe Kalscheur (10.3), also are averaging in double figures.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (13-11, 3-10): Sophomore guard Thomas Allen matched his career high with 18 points in the loss at Purdue and sank 5-of-6 3-pointers, the fourth Husker this season to have at least five treys in a game, joining returning All-Big Ten guard James Palmer Jr., senior guard Glynn Watson Jr. and sophomore Nana Akenten. Palmer leads the team in scoring (18.9) to go with 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per outing while senior forward Isaac Copeland Jr. (14.0 points), Watson (11.8) and junior forward Isaiah Roby (11.1) also are averaging in double digits. The Cornhuskers made 10 3-pointers in the loss to the Boilermakers, the sixth time they have made at least 10 in a game, and are shooting 34.1 percent behind the arc as a team.

TIP-INS

1. Murphy has grabbed 1,195 rebounds in his career which ranks second in Big Ten history behind Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (1,411, 1959-62).

2. Nebraska ranks seventh nationally with an average of 10 turnovers per game and has had 10 or fewer turnovers in each of its last four games, including a season low of five against Maryland on Feb. 6.

3. Minnesota leads the series with Nebraska 55-21 but the Huskers have won six of the last nine meetings.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 70, Minnesota 65